A little history...

About 4 years ago I developed Crohn's disease, was bleeding internally, had wasted away to 105 lbs and was so ill that walking next door left me hugely winded.

Through much research, I found out there's extensive scientific evidence that a Paleo autoimmune diet and lifestyle (because if it's only food you're missing a big part of it) could put many autoimmune diseases in remission. Because my particular autiommune disease was digestive, I also adopted a low FODMAP diet. For detailed info on all of this, I highly recommend The Paleo Approach by Sarah Ballantyne PhD. For those of you into science, she has pages of references for each chapter in the back of the book. If you're looking for more specific help navigating all of the info, give me a call as this is part of my consulting work.

​However, despite the wonders of the Paleo AIP way, I truly don't think I'd have had so much success in putting Crohn's into remission were it not for the herbs I took as well.

The herbs

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) I first began with infusions of yarrow, a known styptic and hemostatic - an herb that stops bleeding. Yarrow's astringent properties tighten up tissue to prevent bleeding of external and internal wounds. Some of it's common names are nose-bleed herb, woundwort, soldier's wort, and militaris - many of these alluding to it's use on the battlefield in ancient times. In fact, some believe that yarrow's Latin name refers to the legend of Achilles who used this herb for magical protection. I only used this herb for as long as I had internal bleeding.

Calendula (Calendula officinalis)Calendula is known primarily as a vulnerary or wound healing herb. It's antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties make it a soothing healer for hot, inflamed, irritated or even ulcerated digestive tissue. Additionally, calendula is a bitter, an herb that interacts with taste receptors on the tongue to send a message to the brain and in turn the digestive track to begin secreting digestive juices. ​A mostly safe and gentle herb though it might be contraidicated for folks with a strong ragweed allergy as they are in the same botanical family. Then again, lettuce is in the same family too. Sharing a family doesn't necessarily mean there will be an issue.

Chamomile (Matricaria recutita)Chamomile is one of the oldest - perhaps the oldest - digestive remedies in existence. Scientists have discovered that it contains over 100 active constituents, some of which can target ulcers for healing and inhibit H. pylori bacteria that can lead to ulcers. Yet this herb is mild enough to be used for a baby's colic too. It's an antispasmodic and carminative - meaning it relieves spasms and gas. When infused more than a few minutes bitter constituents are extracted in chamomile making it an even more potent digestive aid.

Some folks note the high FODMAPs of one of chamomile's active constituents and find it contraindicated for folks on a Paleo AIP diet, but I believe this is a mistake. With over 100 different active constituents working in synergy, I believe the FODMAPs in chamomile are of no concern, mediated by other constituents. However, chamomile is quite likely to make you burp or fart, and this confuses some folks, making them think that the herb is not for them. But this is just part of chamomile at work - relieving excessive air in the digestive track. All of that said, it is possible to be allergic to chamomile and folks with a heavy ragweed allergy should excercise caution as they are in the same botanical family.

Plantain (Plantago major)Plantain is known as the bandaid plant and is one of the most astringent herbs in existence. Astringency tightens tissue, either drawing things out and/or drying things up. Plantain is a common external remedy used in spit poultices on bee stings and bug bites, in anti-itch formulas, and even in poultices to draw out stones from road burn. Internally, plantain can help to dry up diarrhea and to tighten up leaky-gut tissue. Plantain is also a bitter herb which can assist with getting those digestive juices flowing.​

Marshmallow root (Althaea officinalis)Believe it or not, this herb is what the marshmallows of s'mores fame were once made from! The root is highly mucilaginous - or gooey and slimey - and gave the marshmallows their gelatinous texture. Internally, marshmallow root provides a slippery soothing coating to the digestive track that can aid in healing.

While marshmallow root's properties are best extracted in a cold water decoction, I add it right to the infusion and still get good results.

Licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra)Another root that I throw into the infusion rather than decocting - because I only use a tiny pinch of it... Licorice root adds a bit of sweetness and has properties that help the other herbs to hit the bloodstream more quickly and effectively. However, this herb is contraindicated if you're taking blood pressure meds, blood thinners, having surgery, or are on various heart medications, have low potassium, or have kidney or liver disorders. That said, it's an amazing digestive herb with demulcent properties that can help heal ulcers and calm all sorts of digestive upsets from heartburn to stomach cramps.

How to infuse herbs

Anytime I take a new herb, I start with a small dose, like a mild cup of tea with 2-3 tsps of herb infused for no more than 5 minutes. Then I'll work my way up, over the course of several days, to strong infusions.

For those not familiar with herbal techniques, an infusion is used primarily on more delicate parts of an herb such as berries and leaves and involves pouring simmering hot water over herbs, capping them, and leaving them to infuse. Alternately, I usually put the herbs in the pot, pour cold water over them, bring to a simmer, turn off the heat, put a lid on the pot, and leave to infuse.

For my infusion, I combine equal parts of calendula, chamomile, plantain, and marshmallow root by sight (weighing on a kitchen scale is also an option) along with just a teensy pinch of licorice root. I use 1/2 oz to a full oz of herbs per quart of water, bring to a simmer, and leave to infuse for an absolute minimum of 30 minutes - often for an hour or even overnight. For a few years I drank 1-2 quarts of this daily. It's strong and bitter flavored! I called it "swamp water" due to its appearance - though I can't complain about flavor, having finally grown accustomed to and even fond of it. Sweetening it with honey will reduce the effectiveness of the bitter herbs in it since bitters work by stimulating receptors on the tongue, but if it's the only way you can stomach it at first, try sweetening it a bit or making it milder with smaller amounts of the herbs.

I found that a quart of this infusion would quickly reduce any digestive upsets and believe it was a big part of healing my digestive track.

Disclaimer: Herbs are not evaluated by the FDA. All information on my blog, website, social media, writings, or in consultations is for educational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease.

Want to learn more?

I am a clinical herbalist and whole-health consultant and am available for distance consultations via phone or Skype. Check out my consultations page for more info and to take advantage of my introductory rate. If you're not thriving, give me a call!

​​Basic herbal knowledge for self-care is a human right, a need embedded in our evolutionary DNA, and all the more vital in a time of decreasing healthcare and increasing healthcare discrimination!​I created Online Herbal Summer Camp because I’m passionate about health justice and about herbalism as “the people’s healthcare”!

Health justice seeks to not just bridge gaps in accessibility, but to dismantle systems of oppression in favor of new ways of doing things that provide open access to all.

Once upon a time, all of our ancestors lived in harmony with the land, depending on it for sustenance and nurturing it as it nurtured and nourished them. If they had a cut they knew which herb to pick. They knew what plant to turn to for an upset stomach or indigestion. Rashes and bug repellants were at their finger tips. In fact, etnobotanists have found that chamomile was one of the very first crops ever planted, suggesting that herbal knowledge extended back into the paleolithic era. We quite literally evolved to live in harmony with nature, using herbs!

Unfortunately, systems of oppression, genocide, capitalism, and patriarchy have pushed aside the common plant knowledge and self-healing-wisdom our ancestors carried. Traditional healers were burned or hung as witches. Women were forbidden from practicing medicine. People were stollen from their land and forced into slavery on another continent. Whereas land had once been their joy and sustenance, it now became a tool of torturous oppression at the hands of those who cared nothing about harmony with the land and cared everything about capitalism. Natives here were driven from their home lands, their hunting and gathering grounds. Their medicine and their spirituality were one, and yet their religion was outlawed in the US until the 1970's (yes, despite a constitutional freedom of religion!) resulting in deep losses of healing wisdom. Native children were forced from their families into residential schools in a system of cultural genocide. Through it all, systemic racism and oppression became the backbone of where our culture is at today. The Civil Rights Movement and other moves for freedom have only begun to address these issues.

As a result, few people today know the power of plants, and fewer still have access to this knowledge and the wellness it provides. The way our culture is set up at present, especially here in the United States, herbalism is an expensive, out-of-pocket, alternative healthcare modality that’s available only for those who are privileged enough to know about and to afford such things. This is further complicated by the fact that we are at times using indigenous and traditional remedies that have been lost to and are no longer affordable to the very people whose cultures we robbed them from!

Again... health justice seeks to not just bridge gaps in accessibility, but to dismantle systems of oppression in favor of new ways of doing things that provide open access to all.

Online Herbal Summer Camp - and my other seasonal online herbal workshops - are an attempt to build a new container or system capable of providing widespread access to basic herbal knowledge.

Research shows that most folks in the developed world have internet access via smart phones and even more via libraries or internet cafes. Even in the developing world many people have internet access. By offering these workshops online, they become accessible to English speakers worldwide. Last year there were participants from 6 continents!

​But what about cost? I offer these workshops on a sliding scale basis to make them affordable to most everyone. In the future, I'd like to explore scholarship and/or grant opportunities that can further bridge the gap for people from other nations. I'd also like to partner with herbalists from other nations to offer a similar structure but with herbs that might be more easily accessible in other nations/climates. If you are an herbalist interested in this work, do let me know! And if you know more about grants for such work, I'm all ears!

By participating in all four seasonal workshops, participants gain a wide body of basic knowledge empowering them to use herbs for themselves and their families - and a foundation of knowledge on which they can easily build further, should they choose to.

Online Herbal Spring Awakening - in the spring we cover herbs for rejuvenation, cleansing, and energy - following the burst of new life around us.

Each session is 4 weeks in length and held online, on a private Facebook page which provides an online room to chat, post photos, request feedback, and network with others in one's corner of the world as well as with folks around the world. I post a few fun herbal quizzes and conversation starters as well as the course info.

On Mondays the herbal info goes out - PDF info files and sometimes instructional videos. This year we'll also be making use of the live Facebook video feature! In addition to the Monday herbal info, Wild Wednesdays focus on nature connection and bonding around sharing of photos and art inspired by one's time in nature. Finally, each week there are special activities just for the sweet children amongst us - for they are our future! 💕

I'm appalled at the vast amount of misinformation being spread about ticks, tick borne diseases, and lyme! I recently read an article by a mom who claimed to have gotten her info from interviewing an Harvard MD - and the info was all wrong! In fact, I refuted it quickly with a handful of journal articles and the parenting FB page that had posted it removed it and thanked me!

As you all know, I'm not a licensed medical professional. Herbalists aren't licensed in the US. So I don't diagnose or treat diseases. What I do is educate you to make informed choices so you can experience thriving health body, soul, spirit, and in relationship with the earth!

If this information saves just one more person from the rigamarole of seeing 5 docs before an accurated diagnosis (that's the average) and ending up with chronic lyme, organ damage, disability, and so on... I'll be grateful. So I offer this in the hopes that you'll find it informative and use it to dig deeper and arm yourself with knowledge!

Ok... here's the 101 you should know!

1. Never cover a tick or smother it with anything to get it to back out, such as but not limited to alcohol, soapy water, essential oils, or vaseline. Why? Research shows that smothered ticks are more likely to regurgitate blood they've sucked, along with toxins and disease - back into your bloodstream. Yuck! And speaking of tick bites - about 50% of those with lyme will not recall ever being bitten!!

2. Recognize the bull's eye myth! Only about 20% of folks who get Lyme will get a bull's eye rash. You're statisically more likely to be misdiagnosed with depression with Lyme than to have a bull's eye rash.

3. Speaking of which... know the symptoms! I'm not in agreement with everything on this website. (For example, research shows DEET is not safe for 2 year olds!!!) But this is a good list of possible symptoms that demonstrates how lyme has come to be known as "the great imitator"!

7. Research suggests that taking astragalus from a reputable source such as Oregon's Natural Harvest can help to prevent Lyme disease by boosting your immune system. It might be contraindicated, however, for some folks with Lyme or autoimmune diseases. (See Buhner's books on Lyme for more info.)

9. Advocate for yourself since your MD might be using outdated info. This link to International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) is very informative in understanding why there are so many misdiagnosis!

10. The Western Blot is the most accurate Lyme test covered by insurance but gives a false negative in a large percentage - up to 50% - of Lyme cases. A Lyme diagnosis should be a clinical decision, based on a variety of symptoms not just tests, and made by a fully Lyme-literate doctor who also tests for other tick borne diseases.

11. Read Buhner's books on Lyme and coinfections. Knowledge is power! Some folks choose herbs (available in easy-to-use capsules from Green Dragon Botanicals) if they think they have Lyme - rather than waiting for a diagnosis. The longer Lyme goes untreated, the more dangerous it becomes.

12. Think about tick prevention: wear light colored clothing tucked into socks; do tick checks. Consider making a repellant made with apple cider vinegar (ACV) and geranium essential oil. Some folks choose permethrin as a repellent thinking it's 100% safe. It's not. But is it safer than risk of tick disease? That's something for you to research and be the judge of. Personally, I believe we have tick issues due to environmental issues and imbalances; so I believe that using permethrin or other pesticides that harm bees and pollinators (permethrin kills them also) and contaminates water is only going to further harm the environment and exacerbate the problem. That said, I get why people feel comfortable with permethrin. It's a personal choice. As for DEET - that's super dangerous so please don't go there!

Getting out into nature is so beneficial to our mental, emotional, and spiritual health (if you're a research junkie go to the "research" tab here on my website and check out my lit review on ecopsych). Ticks are vile insects - out of control due to environmental imbalances. I hope this info helps you to feel more comfortable in navigating this issue in a way that makes you feel confident and safe! ❤️

Hi All,

I'm in the process of developing an herbal breast butter for enhanced lymphatic flow and breast health. Leading up to the launch in June I'll be doing a few posts on the breast in history in an attempt to better understand our current views of the breast and what a healthier view might look like. Lots of interesting info to come!

Medieval There are numerous references in medieval and even earlier medicine to “pains in the breast” and tumors and some reference to treatment of them with herbs such as cleavers (Kress, 2017). The degree of male ownership of breasts during this period seemed to determine the degree to which they could be written about. Breast health in general was rarely if ever mentioned. When it entered the world of male doctors, it gained a few references. Yet while medieval men felt it uncouth to write about breast health, they were fine with shredding breasts to bits for sport with a popular medieval torture device (Loufbrouw, 2011). And this was written about extensively. On the other hand, women were not allowed “ownership” of their breasts. They existed solely for male pleasure with all but the poorest of women sending their newborns away from home to country wet-nurses for the first year or two of life. This equates to women being separated from the nourishing power of their own bodies and seeing their own power as something shameful to be shunned. And when women developed “breast bags” - early bras - to give them a bit of comfort or lift, men deemed them “indecent” (Loofbourow, 2011). Clearly this is different from today where *not* wearing a bra is considered indecent by some! In Medieval times any breast illness or cancer was attributed to an excess of "black bile" from an imbalance of the bodily humors.

Elizabethan Era During this time, women wore busks that flattened out their figure including the breasts. Some reference to this offering a means of birth control by stimulating miscarriage is mentioned. These busks were also seen as a means of masculinization under the misguided notion that a woman’s power lay in being more male. (Loofbourow, 2011).

The corset as a protective device embodies masculine associations; morally in danger of man, it is as if woman puts on the man over her vulnerable womanhood, which is, however, preserved — indeed exaggerated — beneath. The very act of hardening and stiffening herself, which is on one level defensive, becomes a militant form of transference to herself of masculine eroticism (in Loofbourow, 2011).

It was shocking, Stunning, One of those things I fully understood but still couldn’t wrap my head around.The lie that weeds are bad swallowed like a worm on a hook; the hook deeply penetrating and the idea of perfect green being reeled in.

And yet even a fish is smart enough to know when it’s been caught and to fight!

No, this was more like the proverbial frog in a kettle, Slowly Dying Unaware all along.

The longterm result of people who blindly follow their blind leaders, “sheeple" incapable of questioning…

Who am I kidding?No comparison to the animal kingdom is nearly sufficient,

Because animals are smarter than this

The truck pulled up to our neighbors across the road just as we were leaving. “I want to see this.” I said. “I want to see how bad it is.”I parked my car half a block away.

I’m not sure what I thought I’d see. I'd dreamed about it the night before… something about a big war tank type vehicle, with giant fireman type hoses….

But this war was fought with something far less obvious, small, obscure, a backyard watering hose, appearing to spray out water - and yet i knew… not one, not two, not three, not four, not five… …. but EIGHT different chemicals were mixed into that poisonous cocktail!

The man spraying was unprotected save the gloves on his hands,The chemical fumes his daily air,The liquid itself bathing his boots and jeans, no doubt soaking into his skin.Like a frog in a kettle…

“I feel so. so sorry for him, mom” my 11 year old said in a hushed voice. “Me too baby, so, so sorry. He has no idea he’s poisoning himself.”

And so we sat. We watched the earth being poisoned. We watched ourselves being poisoned knowing that we are a part of the earth.We felt oddly glad the pesticides weren’t blowing across the road onto our lawn - knowing full well they were ending up in our water table… knowing full well the same sort of chemicals could be coming out our tap since municipal water tests for so very few contaminants.

We talked about the world we live in…….one where up is down, an alternate reality where poisons are good and frankenfood is healthy and organic is for stupid hippies like me

…. a world where anyone who deviates from White, patriarchal, systemic norms is ostracized, ridiculed, or even killed

…a world where the best thing for children is NOT to follow their biological urge to do what humanity has done for millenia and to move and explore - but to sit still - and it's a diagnosable illness if they cannot;

…a world where nobody knows what’s best for themselves and experts tell us what to do; experts whose desire to use standardized dosages results in simple antibiotics easily outsmarted by bacteria;

And all this in a world where plants - some with over 100 active constituents each - plants that evolved *with* bacteria and consequently have eons of experience outwitting them, and can easily break through a double cell wall, and are easily able to conquer the most antibiotic resistant bacteria …

After Helena and I took an initial visit to the Bioreserve, I organized a homeschoool field trip. We got rained out the first week - well at least the forecast said we were rained out. In actuality we would have been just fine. But, in any case, we resheduled and finally made it back there just yesterday. Everyone had an amazing time with a lot of happy comments resulting on the local homeschool FB page, and plans are in the works for a fall homeschool class there.

The Bioreserve was originally the estate of the wealthy owners of the Corning Glass Company. Have any old corning ware baking dishes? Those folks. The property was left abandoned and overgrown for many years until Dennis bought it up and turned it into a preserve some years back. He runs a series of programs there, but, to my way of thinking, it's still a hidden gem. I used to live five minutes from it and never had a clue it was there! Dennis also runs a microscope business; and he has a pretty amazing little microscopy lab, in the backroom of the dilapidated 1850's house that was once the gate house of the estate. Needless to say - if you're at all familiar with homeschooling or us uber crazy "unschooling" folks who prefer real life learning to any sort of dry curriculum - this place is a treasure trove to me!

We spent a few minutes in the lab yesterday, while waiting for everyone to assemble. My almost 11 year old, Helena, who had used the microscopes previously, got busy examining some down from a cottonwood tree with other kids joining her. Dennis pulled out a slide of pollen so they could learn more.

Once everyone had assembled (maybe 14 kids and their accompanying moms and a grandma too), Dennis led the way on a field hike. He talked a bit about the property's history, the yurt on it, and the workshop we passed. But mostly we just hiked along, scrambling over and along many recumbent trees which, we learned, were the result of the property being on an old lake bed. The lack of bedrock below causes the trees to not be able to firmly anchor themselves, resulting in many growing in these odd reclining positions. I pointed out plantain (Plantago major) and explained its medicinal uses and we also talked about jewelweed (Impatiens capensis), which was growing prolifically nearbye. People asked when you'd want to use jewelweed vs plantain, and we discussed the power of plantain to draw and the power of jewelweed to soothe poison ivy.

As we progressed through a few of the property's 60 or so acres, we stopped periodically to talk about various flora and to notice a few species of fauna as well: a doe that went bounding off, a pileated woodpecker, a few little toads, and a nasty tick or two.

​Below is the inside of a thick stem of jewelweed. The kids brought some back to examine under the microscope.

Homeschool Field Trip Families

​Here, families enjoy lunch on the second level of the treehouse, and enjoy their hike through the Bioreserve. I tried to only post photos here that don't give away the identity of the families since I forgot to ask permission to post photos.

Ash Tree: Fraxinus americana

This was a rare treat! Most ash trees in NYS have been destroyed by the Emerald Ash Borer!! They used to be prolific in NY and were used to make baseball bats. I didn't think to ask how or why this one has managed to survive unscathed.

Invasive Oriental Bittersweet Vine: Celastrus orbiculatus

Two kinds of bittersweet grow locally, American bittersweet or Celastrus scandens and Oriental (Chinese) bittersweet or Celastrus orbiculatus. The American vine grows quite tall, but it does not take over other plant species in the way that the Oriental variety does.

​In the first photo above, you can see the vine twisting and creeping along. It had a long end extending beyond the host plant, seeking out another host plant. Dennis and kids had fun wrapping it around a neck - vicious strangling species that it is haha!!

In the second photo you can see bittersweet trailing up a host tree, and in the third photo above you can see the results of its growth on a tree. It compresses the bark, strangling it almost, and causes the tree trunk to grow in those twisty patterns that look like it was squeezed out of a soft icecream maker. Dennis said he had torn the vines off that tree in a previous year.

Both bittersweets have berries containing seeds that the birds, especially the blue birds, enjoy. The vines with their golden and red berries also make beautiful autumn wreaths. But if you're going to plant it, make sure you get the American species!

Wild Grape Vines: Vitus vulpina

Another vine that grows on a host, but is NOT invasive and does not hurt its host.. wild grapes. They abound here in NY and make excellent Tarazan-like swings for kids to enjoy.

Common Reed or Phragmites australis

Phragmitis are another invasive species here in NY, a common marsh grass that was introduced into the area and has taken over. They alter the biochemistry of marsh waters, push out other native plant species, and even alter what animals can live in the marsh. But here? Here is a brilliant use of the species, to make a wilderness survival shelter, weaving them between support posts. The Bioreserve is also home to a local wilderness school. Ths low shelter was then topped with longer branches/saplings and covered with leaves and/or more interwoven reeds or a tarp. The wilderness school kids sleep out in it!

Mayapple: Podophyllum peltatum

In a previous post I talked about my discovery of the Mayapple and gave more information on it. Those photos showed it in flower. It was fun to return to the Bioreserve several weeks later and see the early yellow/green fruit. At this stage, the fruit is poisonous. It ripens and is edible, but, as noted before, Dennis says the critters get to most of them before he does.

Beech Tree: Fagus grandifolia

A large beech with a smaller one growing beside it - or "beech and son of a beech" as Dennis, the perpetual jokester, put it. He also pointed out how this is one of the few trees locally with a smooth bark trunk. He asked the kids which part of the bark contains live cells, pointing out that our skin is all alive, but the outer bark of a tree is not. Kids guessed the middle of the tree's bark. I called Helena over from a tree she was climbing, and she knew the answer: the ring right beneath the bark called the cambium is alive. I explained to everyone how the rings we count on trees are not just there for our counting convenience, but mark where, each year, the nutrients have travelled up the tree, right below the surface of the bark. Helena and I learned this from the biology textbook she requested. She's my little scientist. I guess I'd never thought previously about *why* a tree had rings to count! Of course, being the perpetually curious unschooler that she is, Helena then wanted to know how long it takes for a cycle of nutrients to travel up the bark from the roots to the top leaves and for nutrients gathered in the leaves through photosynthesis to travel down the middle of the trunk back to the bottom of the tree. Good ole' Google has failed us on this one, so if you know the answer, do tell!!

Ginkgo biloba

The Bioreserve contains some amazing examples of Ginkgo biloba. Dennis explained that Ginkgo is not really a tree, but you can see, from the image of him looking for seeds to show the kids in front of the Ginkgo, that it sure *looks* like a tree. It's HUGE! But apparently Ginkgo is not an angiosperm, instead containing an odd plant sperm that has the ability to swim. Due to this and other factors, Ginkgo is in a class of its own. Literally. In fact, Ginkgo also has its very own phylum of which it is the singular plant in it! Here is its taxonomy for those interested.

In the fourth picture above, Dennis is pointing out another distinctive feature of Ginkgo: its leaves grow directly off of the trunk rather than on branches or stems of their own.

Ginkgo samples have been found dating back over three million years in China, if Wikipedia is at all reliable. In any case, it was around with the dinasaurs, making it one of our oldest surviving plant species. Dennis explained that it has outlasted every parasite and pest and is extremely hardy.

He also told us that when people first started importing it as an ornamental for its exotic shaped foliage, they didn't know the difference between female and male species. In fact, when the plant is young you can't tell - except with lab work that didn't exist back in the 19th century. Eventually it became quite useful to differentiate and only import male species. In fact, that's all you can buy today at a plant nursery. Why? The female produces a fruit that has a very unpleasant, pungent odor! The Bioreserve is one of the few places around (maybe the only?) that has both male and female species. As a result, it abounds in itty, bitty, baby Ginkgos! (Is it ok if I think they're cute?!) In the fifth photo above is a sprouting Ginkgo seed and in the sixth photo are a few of the many Ginkgo babies.

In addition to being an ancient and just plain cool survivor, Ginkgo biloba is also highly medicinal. Maybe its ancient wisdom helps us to live and survive in this world. Touted as "the brain herb" it's great for memory, Alzheimers, dementia, Raynaud's symptom, anxiety, glaucoma, and more.

The honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos)

The thorns on this tree were just massive!! GASP!

Needless to say, the kids found the thorns pretty cool!

Back in the Miscroscopy Lab

My daughter Helena pictured in the front here brought back a leaf all folded up and sewn together with some sort of insect webbing. Inside was a bit of what looked sort of like dryer lint. It turned out, under the miscroscope, to be super spongy. In the bottom photo above, she's fascinated by poking it and watching the effect on the big screen. We don't know what the spongy stuff was, but at this age it's just great that the kids are excited about exploring and discovering, having a blast with science, fascinated by the invisible world. The fact that many microscopes were hooked up to large computer monitors was really amazing, because the kids were able to explore together.

Super Crazy Creepy Crawly!!!

One of the kids brought back this leaf to better examine the little red spore thing sticking out of it. That was pretty cool magnified, but nothing compared to what else was found. On the edge of the leaf were microscopic hairs, and on the edge of one of those hairs was a little microscopic creature. Click on this link here to view it on video. While it goes in and out of focus, it's short and you can really see the invisible critter co-existing with the leaf. And most fun of all... you can hear the excitment of discovery in everyone's voices!

Final Summary

Organizing the field trip was one of several parts of my volunteer work for this Field Botany class. It involved numerous hours of time in posting to the homeschool FB page to guage interest and a preferred day; checking that time with Dennis; posting a place where people could register; rescheduling for weather; and finaly the day of the fieldtrip itself, during which we spent about four hours at the Bioreserve exploring, learning, and sharing knowledge.

Class competencies:Diversity: We viewed a great diversity of plant species on the Bioreserve fieldtrip. We also saw how various species imported into a new environment will act. This was especially interesting since the Corning Estate used to have extensive gardens and now was all growing mostly wild. Diversity was also seen back in the lab when we looked at the invisible single celled organism living on the leaf and examined pond water, jewelweed liquid, pinecones, ticks, and many other parts of the ecosystem.

Innovation: Innovation was exhibited in finding the Bioreserve, organizing the field trip; and using both microscopes and field work to interest children in botany.

Stewardship: I think one of the things that stood out most to me was seeing the impact of the Oriental bittersweet and learning about how the phragmites can destroy an ecopsystem. This drove home the need for stewardship and healthy ecosystems. Also, I think anytime you get kids outside, loving and enjoying nature, you're doing great work for future stewardship and preservation!

Community: This field trip was intensely community oriented! I developed a relationship first with Dennis and then brought together homeschoolers from about an hour radius, some of whom knew each other and many who didn't, to the Bioreserve. We talked about what sort of learning experiences we'd like there in the fall, and I'll be further organizing a class or classes - either weekly in October and/or perhaps a monthly class.

In conclusion, the Bioreserve fieldtrip was an amazing experience and garnered wide praise from numerous families. What I shared above is only touching on the surface of all that we saw and experienced. There was also an old orchard and white cedars grown ornamentally around the old estate now towering overhead. There were mulberry trees, wildflowers, and of course animals. There was talk of picking up on a study U. Albany had done in conjunction with the Bioreserve, looking at water quality flowing into two ravines, one where water drains off a highway and one with natural water flow. The water at the point of convergence would also be interesting to study. The Bioreserve is indeed a diverse place for learning in more ways than one!

​I'll leave you with one final picture, taken from my car window on the way out, of a cedar waxwing, enjoying a few underripe mulberries.

Remember the old nursery rhyme? "Mary, Mary quite contrary, how does your garden grow?" And all of her pretty things all in a row?

Yeah No! We apparently don't believe in rows around here.

My gardening style is wild, sort of permaculture inspired I like to say. But truth be told, it's a combination of never keeping up and not having the heart to pull out happy growing things.

So here there are strawberries (white blossoms); lettuces that came up all over from seed from the plants I allowed to die back in the fall (green/red and light green); plantain, the larger green leaf in front of the strawberries; chamomile (the little hairy green leaf to the right of the strawberry; and oregano on the left side. All of this but the strawberries just came up from seed.

I'm actually having to dig out a lot of plantain and dandelions this year, after making friends with them all and letting them stay last year. I see why these lovely herbies are called weeds! Haha!

Course Competencies:

Diversity: wild species growing with cultivated; companion plants that naturally occur togetherInnovation: my own strange cross between cultivated gardening and permacultureStewardship: growing the wild things; noting how they try to take over in a cultivated atmosphereCommunity: sharing field journal posts publicly

The Physiological Path by which Bitter Herbs Affect Digestion

As herbalists, we’re all quite familiar with the idea that bitter herbs or herbal combinations known as “bitters” are a strong digestive aid. But how exactly does this work? What occurs in the body from the first taste of a bitter to the end result of increased digestion?

The process begins with transduction: the epithelial cells of our taste buds translate chemical stimuli into action potentials received by the brain. Each of our approximately 10,000 taste buds, most of which are on our tongue - but a few located in the cheeks, soft palate, pharynx and epiglotis - contains 50-100 epithelial cells that register and respond to the chemical molecules in our food (Crash Course A&P 16, n.d.)

In the taste buds, type 2 taste receptors join with G protein gustducin thereby detecting bitterness on the tonuge (Maehashi et al, 2008). In turn, phosphodiesterase is released activating secondary messengers of diglycerides (DAG) and IP3. IP3 is a molecule that transmits signals. Due to these secondary signals, potassium ion channels are closed, and a build up of potassium ions in the cell leads to the release of neurotransmitters to the brain (Maehashi et al, 2008 & Jacob, n.d.).

The neurotransmitters carry signals which are in turn received by the 7th, 9th, and 10th cranial nerves: the facial, glossopharyngeal, and vagus nerves (Crash Course A&P 16, n.d.). The gustatory area of the cerebral cortex makes sense of the bitter taste and begins to release digestive enzymes in the saliva and gastric juices in the stomach (Crash Course A&P 16, n.d.).

From an evolutionary standpoint, bitter foods were often poisonous. Even some of the bitters we eat have small amounts of phytochemicals that could be poisonous in larger amounts. For example, spinach, wood sorrel, chocolate - and in general many nightshade and cruciferous plants - all contain minute amounts of oxalic acid which at much larger amounts of 10-30 grams can cause kidney failure (CDC, 2014). Perhaps because of this potential for poison, bitters stimulate more production of digestive acids, saliva, bile, and digestive hormones and enzymes than other flavors (Mase, 2013). Additionally, bitters can lower blood sugar and signal the body that it is full. (Weil, 2014).

Specifically bitters stimulate the liver to produce bile. The production of bile not only allows the liver to function more thoroughly in cleansing the body but also helps to break down fats and make fat soluble nutrients more bioavailable (Weil, 2014).

From sensors on the tastebuds to secondary messenger molecules that stimulate neurotransmitters; from processing by the gustatory cortex to nervous system messages sent back to the digestive track: bitter flavors work along a complex pathway to stimulate digestion.

Common Uses:It is likely that many individuals are more familiar with lavender for its usage in the fragrance industry. The greatest commercial usage of lavender blossoms today is in perfume and perfumed products, with the essential oil of lavender containing over 150 different phytochemicals that contribute to its pleasing fragrance (Kowalchik et al, 1987, p. 350; Castleman, 2009, p. 302). Yet lavender is more than “just a pretty face” or aroma. Don’t be fooled by her delicate appearance, this gal has both beauty and brawn. She’s an aromatherapeutic powerhouse when it comes to treating anxiety and her purplish-blue flowers speak to her ability to calm the emotions (Culpepper, 2007; Tierra, 1998, p. 151).Lavender’s nervine and nootropic qualities contributed to a variety of historical usages. Greek and Roman women clung to it for courage in childbirth (Gladstar, 2014, p. 93). In the Middle Ages, it was believed that sprinkling a lover’s head with lavender water would keep him or her faithful, and some even viewed it as an aphrodisiac. English farmers put sprigs under their hats to prevent sunstroke and headaches, and all over Southern Europe and the Mediterranean region people used it as an air-freshener in sachets and potpourris. Fusions and tinctures of it were used through the early 1900’s to cleanse wounds (Castleman, 2009, p. 300; Kowalchik et al, 1987, p. 350). It was also used for acne, fainting and dizziness, and muscle spasms. The 16th century British herbalist John Gerard wrote in his Herball, “It profiteth them much that have the palsy if they be washed with water of lavender flowers, or are anointed with the oil made from the flowers and olive oil” (Castleman, 2009, p. 301).There have been multiple studies on the efficacy of lavender in relieving both situational and clinical anxiety. For starters, those ancient Greek and Roman women who clung to a sprig of lavender during childbirth exhibited intuitive wisdom not superstition. In a study of women in labor, 63 were randomly assigned to receive lavender aromatherapy while 58 were used as a control group (Mizraei et al, 2009). All of the women were first-time laboring mothers >37 weeks, 3-4 centimeters dilated, and with average anxiety levels at the start of labor. In the end, those mothers receiving lavender aromatherapy treatments while giving birth exhibited lower perceived anxiety, reduced plasma cortisol levels, and greater serotonin levels than women in the control group - demonstrating that lavender is an effective anti-anxiety remedy for birth. In another study, a lavender oil capsule called silexan was compared to the benzodiazepine lorazepam (Ativan) in a randomized adult population diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) (Schlafke et al, 2010). Baseline and six week measurements of anxiety were taken with the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale. Researchers concluded that lavender oil capsules were equally effective to the benzodiazepine treatment but without the dangerous pharmaceutical side-effects.Specific Indications:In short, lavender is good for a pattern of anxiety or nervous exhaustion in which the person needs to be both relaxed (lowering stress hormones) but also strengthened to deal better with stress over the long-term. For example, a woman in childbirth needs to be relaxed to allow her body to open and birth with ease - but also needs strength for labor.Lavender is a powerful nootropic that has been described as both stimulating and sedative (Winston & Maimes, 2007, p. 227; Culpepper, 2007, p. 110). One Chinese herbalist describes it as follows: “Lavender is pungent, slightly bitter, and cooling or slightly warming. It is both stimulating and relaxing; it sinks the qi in the body and disperses it. Lavender is both restoring and astringing. Sounds a bit contradictory, doesn't it?” (Crowell, n.d.) Gladstar explains these seemingly paradoxical energetics pointing out that lavender has both the ability to relax a person while also giving them a felt sense of resilience (Gladstar, 2014, p. 93). Anxiety and depression are often comorbid; thus these qualities of lavender make synergistic sense. Yet even for an individual solely experiencing anxiety these opposing qualities are beneficial. Gladstar elaborates “It is one of the best herbs to use in herbal baths to relieve tension, stress, headaches, and insomnia. Used traditionally to imbue courage and strength, lavender is still a favorite herb to strengthen the heart and mind during stressful situations” (Gladstar, 2014, p. 93). It is not always enough to gain relief from the stress; lavender offers the courage to muster hope and move forward as well.Dosage:Lavender essential oil is very safe and diffusing it is an excellent way to obtain the calming yet fortifying aspects of lavender without actually ingesting it.

Diffuse 10 drops of pure lavender essential oil in an electric diffuser for 15 minutes at a time. Never diffuse for longer than 15 minutes. Essential oils are strong chemicals. While they are natural and while lavender is one of the safest, they can be toxic in high quantities.

Alternately, put about 10 drops of pure lavender essential oil in a bath.

A lavender hydrosol is water leftover from processing the essential oil and provides a lower dosage of the phytochemicals in lavender. It’s a great aromatherapeutic choice for children.

Finally, for a more traditional and less aromatherapeutic (but still pleasant smelling) dosage… A tincture or tea is a common herbalist’s recommendation for lavender intake. Winston & Maimes recommend a tincture (1:5) of 15-30 drops to be taken three to four times per day and Tierra recommends a similar 10-30 drops (Winston & Maimes, 2007; Tierra, 1998). Various infusions of one to three teaspoons of lavender per cup are also recommended (Castleman, 2009).

Rebecca Grace Andrews

Welcome! Here are my thoughts on herbalism, unschooling, autoimmune diseases, nature connectedness, homesteading, and sustainable choices, based on my graduate studies in herbalism, ecotherapy, and psychology and living the life that I love! Check out the website as well!